Pop Culture | Week 1 | Platform

Resources:

Message Notes:

Psalms 121:1-2 HCSB “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” We had a great time in the mountains, had some adventures. 3 Photos. It was truly a blessing. I’m excited to kick off a new series this weekend.

New Series: Pop-Culture

2 Peter 2:1-3a, 17-19 HCSB “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their unrestrained ways, and the way of truth will be blasphemed because of them. They will exploit you in their greed with deceptive words. These people (influencers) are springs without water, mists driven by a whirlwind. The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them. For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error. They promise [people] freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.”

Atheism / Agnosticism

Buddhism / Spiritual Mysticism

Progressive Christianity

Atheism / Agnosticism

Atheism

Theism - Belief in a god or gods

A - Prefix meaning “not,” or “without.”

Agnosticism claims nothing is known or can be known about any kind of god.

Why Is Atheism Attractive?

No ultimate accountability

No imperative to change other’s worldview

The pull of scientism

The Problems With an Atheistic Worldview

There is no foundation for Objective Morality

In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind pitiless indifference. - Richard Dawkins

There is no ultimate purpose to life within an Atheistic worldview.

Modern Science and Cosmology Is a Problem for Atheists, not Christians

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.

I’d like to close this section with two quotes. The first from the great Atheist turned Christian, C.S. Lewis: “Men became scientific because they expected law in nature and they expected law in nature because they believed in a lawgiver.” - C.S. Lewis

“For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.” - Robert Jastrow, NASA Scientist & Physicist

Buddhism & Mysticism

Buddhism: Remove all desire and attachment, which will end suffering.

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” ― Gautama Buddha

Why Is Buddhism Attractive?

No need to point out sin in culture

Spirituality and meditation without God

Promise of no suffering

The Problems With a Buddhist Worldview

Still no foundation for Objective Morality

The goal to empty yourself and then find answers withinMark 7:20-23 HCSB “Then [Jesus] said, “What comes out of a person — that defiles him. For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.””

Eliminating attachment would include family, children, and close friends

Philippians 4:8-9 HCSB “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Progressive Christianity

Progressive Christianity is an attempt to meld Christianity with popular culture, to affirm certain sins, and to allow the inclusion of other religious beliefs and “fit” them into Scripture.

1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.

Why Is Progressive Christianity Attractive?

It seems to take all the best part of Christianity, grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness, and strips away any sin, judgment, immorality, and accountability.

Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience the Sacredness and Oneness of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in our spiritual journey;

John 14:6 ESV “Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Colossians 1:15-17 HCSB “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”

The Ten Commandments Exodus 20:1-17 HCSB

Mark 12:30-31 HCSB “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. “The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.””

Matthew 6:9-13 ESV “Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, [holy is] your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our [sins], as we also have forgiven [those who sin against us]. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 HCSB “For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one abnormally born, He also appeared to me.”